2016 will go down as being part of the golden era for the Internet o things. This last year has experienced incredible advancements like cars that drive themselves, and cities that actually smarter. It has also been a learning experience where major security breaches threatened us, but we worked past them, and ultimately built stronger systems. So what were some of the top stories of the year?

The first was the Mirari code. This historic attack utilized the internet of things to take down massive websites, through unsecure devices. Amazon, BBC, and other websites felt the crushing blow of this DDoS attack. When things settled down, there was still the concern of what could happen if another attack were to happen.

Our vehicles also experienced an upgrade in 2016. Several fleets of autonomous cars (or those that drive themselves) were unveiled. These cabs would provide the most effective driving experience for passengers and could cut down on accidents, and avoid delays in traffic. This means the future of getting to and from work will be incredible. That doesn’t mean that it hasn’t gone off without a hitch the Tesla that was running on autopilot did already claim the life of one man who was in the vehicle as it drove in July.

Reactions were mixed this year in August when a pair of hackers revealed more security concerns for Jeep. While these individuals brought the information to the attention of the industry to help prevent a deadly encounter, it was still sobering for most to see just how dangerous these vehicles could be when connected to the internet of things. Fortunately, this information can be used to help establish a stronger set of code that makes it incredibly difficult for people to hack and to cause havoc on the roads.

But not everything has grey clouds over it this year. In Columbus, Ohio the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the city would receive federal funding to become a smart city. This technology would allow transportation to be more effective in the area and to ensure that the experience both residents and visitors is incredible.

This has been a year that has seen some definite improvement with the internet of things and what it can do. While the year is coming to an end, we still have 2017 to look forward to with the entire world of possibilities that it holds for us.